Fan structure and a bearing module thereof

ABSTRACT

A fan structure at least includes a bearing module and a rotor, the bearing module includes a hollow cylinder body, a bearing, a limiting member and a blocking member. The hollow cylinder body comprises a ring wall and an accommodating hole, wherein the bearing, the limiting member and the blocking member are disposed at the accommodating hole in sequence. The ring wall comprises an inner ring wall and a limiting slot recessed from the inner ring wall. The blocking member comprises a body portion and a blocking portion extendedly formed at the body portion, the body portion embedded into the limiting slot, and the blocking portion is in contact against the limiting member. A rotating shaft of the rotor penetrated through the limiting member and the bearing, and a plurality limiting plates of the limiting member inserted into a ring slot of the rotating shaft.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally relating to a fan structure and abearing module, more particularly to the bearing module having abearing, a limiting member and a blocking member to prevent the rotorfrom falling off in the fan structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional heat-dissipation fan 10 as illustrated in FIG. 14includes a base 11, a bearing 12, a rotor 13 and a stator 14. The base11 comprises an axial tube 15, and the bearing 12 is disposed within theaxial tube 15. The rotor 13 comprises a rotating shaft 16 penetratedthrough an axial hole 17 of the bearing 12, and one end of the rotatingshaft 16 is limited by the limiting member 18. However, owing to thereason that the limiting member 18 is located between the bottom of theaxial tube 15 and the bearing 12, the limiting member 18 may be likelydeformed while installing mentioned limiting member 18 into the axialtube 15. Accordingly, one end of the rotating shaft 16 can not couplewith the limiting member 18 smoothly, a frictional noise of the rotor 13might occur in the situation of rotation, and even more the rotor 13might depart from the stator 14 to lead fan malfunction. In addition,when the assembly of the fan 10 completes, once a frictional noiseoccurred, the structure of the limiting member 18 might be broken at thetime of taking apart the fan 10. Therefore, we have no idea in whethersource of friction noise has connection with unauthentic assembly of thelimiting member 18. Besides, the broken fan 10 is incapable to beremade.

SUMMARY

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a fanstructure comprising a base, a bearing module and a rotor, wherein thebase comprises a coupling hole. The bearing module is disposed at thecoupling hole and includes a hollow cylinder body, a bearing, a blockingmember and a limiting member. The hollow cylinder body is at leastcomposed of a ring wall and an accommodating hole surrounded by the ringwall, wherein the ring wall has an outer ring wall, an inner ring walland a limiting slot recessed from the inner ring wall. The bearing isdisposed at the accommodating hole and comprises a top surface, a bottomsurface and an axial hole. The blocking member is disposed at thelimiting slot and located on top of the bearing, an accommodating spaceis formed between the blocking member and the bearing, the blockingmember has a body portion and a blocking portion extendedly formed atthe body portion, wherein the body portion is embedded into the limitingslot, the blocking portion is protruded to the inner ring wall of thering wall and located at the accommodating hole. The limiting member isdisposed at the accommodating space and comprises a body, a plurality oflimiting plates extendedly formed at inside of the body, a plurality ofpenetrating slots and a penetrating hole is in communication with thepenetrating slots, each of the penetrating slots is located betweenadjacent limiting plates, the limiting member includes a front endportion, and the blocking portion of the blocking member is provided forcontacting against the limiting member. The rotor includes a rotatingshaft having a ring slot, the rotating shaft is penetrated through thepenetration hole of the limiting member and the axial hole of thebearing, and the front end portion of each of the limiting plates isinserted into the ring slot. For the first reason that the front endportion of each of the limiting plates is inserted into the ring slot ofthe rotating shaft, the second reason that the body portion of theblocking member is embedded into the limiting slot, the third reasonthat the blocking portion is in contact with the limiting member,therefore, which may prevent the rotating shaft of the rotor to departfrom the bearing module.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view illustrating a fan structure inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view illustrating a bearing module inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a lateral section view illustrating a bearing module inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a blocking member inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating a blocking area of theblocking member in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating a blocking area of theblocking member in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram illustrating a blocking area of theblocking member in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a limiting member inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a section view along line A-A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a top view illustrating a fan structure in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a section view along line B-B in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a section view along line C-C in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a section view illustrating a fan structure in accordancewith a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a section view illustrating a bearing module in accordancewith a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a section view illustrating a fan structure in accordancewith a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a section view illustrating a bearing module in accordancewith a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a section view of a conventional heat-dissipation fan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a fan structure 100 in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention includes a casing 110, abearing module 120, a rotor 130 and a stator 140, wherein the casing 110includes a base 111 having a coupling hole 112.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bearing module 120 is disposed atthe coupling hole 112 and includes a hollow cylinder body 121, a bearing122, a blocking member 123, a limiting member 124, a gasket 125 and amat 126. The hollow cylinder body 121 is composed of a ring wall 121 a,a bottom portion 121 b in connection with the bottom of the ring wall121 a and an accommodating hole 121 c surrounded by the ring wall 121 a.In this embodiment, the mat 126, the bearing 122, the gasket 125, thelimiting member 124 and the blocking member 123 are disposed at theaccommodating hole 121 c in sequence. The ring wall 121 a of the hollowcylinder body 121 comprises an outer ring wall 121 d, an inner ring wall121 e, and a limiting slot 121 f recessed from the inner ring wall 121e, wherein the limiting slot 121 f further comprises an inner wall 121g. The bearing 122 comprises a top surface 122 a, a bottom surface 122b, an oil guiding slot 122 c in connection with the top surface 122 aand the bottom surface 122 b and an axial hole 122 d. The blockingmember 123 is disposed at the limiting slot 121 f and located on top ofthe bearing 122, and an accommodating space S is formed between theblocking member 123 and the bearing 122. Please referring to FIGS. 3, 4,4A-4C, in this embodiment, the blocking member 123 can be a C-shaperetaining ring, mentioned blocking member 123 comprises a body portion123 a, a blocking portion 123 b extendedly formed at the body portion123 a, and an outer wall 123 c. With reference to FIG. 3 again, the bodyportion 123 a of the blocking member 123 is embedded into the limitingslot 121 f, the blocking portion 123 b of the blocking member 123 isprotruded to the inner ring wall 121 e of the ring wall 121 a andlocated at the accommodating hole 121 c, and the outer wall 123 c of theblocking member 123 is in contact against the inner wall 121 g of thelimiting slot 121 f. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 4A-4C, in this embodiment,the blocking portion 123 b includes a first leaning portion 123 d, asecond leaning portion 123 e and a third leaning portion 123 f, whereinthe first leaning portion 123 d and the third leaning portion 123 f canbe two terminals of the C-shape retaining ring. With reference to FIG.4A, a blocking area Al is composed of the first leaning portion 123 dand the second leaning portion 123 e. With reference to FIG. 4B, ablocking area A2 is composed of a first leaning portion 123 d, a secondleaning portion 123 e and a third leaning portion 123 f. With referenceto FIG. 4C, a blocking area A3 is composed of the first leaning portion123 d and the third leaning portion 123 f.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 5 and 8, the limiting member 124 is disposed atthe accommodating space S and comprises a body 124 a, a plurality oflimiting plates 124 b extendedly formed at inside of the body 124 a, aplurality of penetrating slots 124 c and a penetrating hole 124 d incommunication with the penetrating slots 124 c, wherein each of thepenetrating slots 124 c is located between adjacent limiting plates 124b and includes a front end portion 124 e. The blocking portion 123 b ofthe blocking member 123 is provided for contacting against the limitingmember 124, referring to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the first leaning portion 123d is provided for contacting against the limiting plate 124 b of thelimiting member 124, the second leaning portion 123 e is provided forcontacting against the body 124 a of the limiting member 124, and thethird leaning portion 123 f is provided for contacting against thelimiting plate 124 b of the limiting member 124. Or in anotherembodiment, the first leaning portion 123 d and the third leaningportion 123 f are provided for contacting against the body 124 a and thelimiting plate 124 b of the limiting member 124. Referring to FIG. 3again, the gasket 125 is disposed between the limiting member 124 andthe bearing 122, and the gasket 125 is provided for mentioned limitingmember 124 to dispose thereon. An accommodating space B is formedbetween an internal wall 125 a of the gasket 125 and the top surface 122a of the bearing 122, wherein the limiting plate 124 b of the limitingmember 124 is located on top of the accommodating space B. Theaccommodating space B offers the limiting plate 124 b of the limitingmember 124 a sufficient deformed space while the rotating shaft 131passing through the penetrating hole 124 d of the limiting member 124 soas to prevent the limiting plate 124 b from being incapable ofaccomplishing the restoration. Preferably, the limiting member 124 isclipped by the blocking member 123 and the gasket 125 to increasemechanical stress of the limiting member 124 therefore avoidingdeformation. Please refers to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, an opening 123 g isformed between the first leaning portion 123 d and the third leaningportion 123 f, when the blocking member 123 passes through theaccommodating hole 121 c of the hollow cylinder body 121, the bodyportion 123 a is limited by the inner ring wall 121 e of theaccommodating hole 121 c. Therefore, through applying an external force,the first leaning portion 123 d and the third leaning portion 123 f maymove toward the opening 123 g, when the blocking member 123 reaches tothe limiting slot 121 f, the first leaning portion 123 d and the thirdleaning portion 123 f restore to their original position respectively,and the body portion 123 a of the blocking member 123 is embedded intothe limiting slot 121 f. Owing to the flexible blocking member 123, theinner ring wall 121 e of the accommodating hole 121 c will not bedamaged while assembling or disassembling the blocking member 123.Besides, after taking apart the blocking member 123, the rotor 130 andthe limiting member 124 can be taken out without destroying thestructure of the limiting member 124. Therefore, mentioned feature isbeneficial for the fan structure 100 to be remade. In this embodiment,the accommodating hole 121 c comprises a hole diameter D1, the limitingmember 124 comprises an outer diameter D2, for the reason that the outerdiameter D2 is smaller than the hole diameter D1, the limiting member124 may be simply disposed in the accommodating hole 121 c. Withreference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, in this embodiment, the blocking member123 comprises a maximum width D3, and the outer diameter D2 is smallerthan the maximum width D3 so as to make the blocking member 123advantageous to press the limiting member 124.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 7, 8 and 9, the rotor 130 is coupled with thecasing 110 and includes a rotating shaft 131 penetrated into the bearingmodule 120, wherein the rotating shaft 131 comprises a ring slot 132 andis penetrated through the penetration hole 124 d of the limiting member124 and the axial hole 122 d of the bearing 122. The front end portion124 e of each of the limiting plates 124 b is inserted into the ringslot 132 of the rotating shaft 131, and the terminal of the rotatingshaft 131 is in contact against the mat 126.

The stator 140 is coupled with the outer ring wall 121 d of the hollowcylinder body 121.

With reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 6, 8 and 9, when the rotating shaft131 is inserted into the bearing module 120, the rotating shaft 131first passes through the blocking areas Al, A2 or A3 of the blockingmember 123, thereafter, the rotating shaft 131 penetrates through thepenetration hole 124 d of the limiting member 124 and the axial hole 122d of the bearing 122. In addition, when the front end portion 124 e ofeach of the limiting plates 124 b is inserted into the ring slot 132 ofthe rotating shaft 131, the rotating shaft 131 locates at the blockingareas A1, A2 or A3.

Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 6, 8 and 9 again, when the rotor 130 isapplied by an external force, for the first reason that the front endportion 124 e of each of the limiting plates 124 b is inserted into thering slot 132 of the rotating shaft 131, the second reason that the bodyportion 123 a of the blocking member 123 is embedded into the limitingslot 121 f of the hollow cylinder body 121, the third reason that thefirst leaning portion 123 d, the second leaning portion 123 e and thethird leaning portion 123 f of the blocking portion 123 b are in contactwith the limiting member 124, which may prevent the rotating shaft 131of the rotor 130 to depart from the bearing module 120. Besides, owingto the blocking areas A1, A2 or A3 are composed of the first leaningportion 123 d, the second leaning portion 123 e and the third leaningportion 123 f, when the first leaning portion 123 d, the second leaningportion 123 e and the third leaning portion 123 f are in contact andpress the limiting member 124, the mechanical stress of each of thelimiting plates 124 b can be increased to prevent each of the limitingplates 124 b from deformation. Once each of the limiting plates 124 b isin severely deformed, the rotor 130 can not be limited by the limitingplates 124 b therefore falling off from the bearing module 120.Furthermore, for the reason that the rotating shaft 131 of the rotor 130is located at the blocking areas A1, A2 or A3, the press force appliedto the limiting member 124 via the blocking member 123 can be raised toprevent the rotating shaft 131 to fall off from each of the limitingplates 124 b.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, which illustrate a second embodiment ofthe present invention, a fan structure 100 includes a casing 110, abearing module 120, a rotor 130 and a stator 140, the difference betweenthe first embodiment and the second embodiment is that a recess 122 e isrecessed from the top surface 122 a of the bearing 122, the limitingmember 124 is disposed at the top surface 122 a of the bearing 122, andthe limiting plate 124 b of the limiting member 124 is located on top ofthe recess 122 e. When the rotating shaft 131 passes through thepenetration hole 124 d of the limiting member 124, the recess 122 eoffers the limiting plate 124 b of the limiting member 124 a sufficientdeformed space.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, which illustrate a third embodiment of thepresent invention, a fan structure 100 includes a casing 110, a bearingmodule 120, a rotor 130 and a stator 140, the difference between thesecond embodiment and the third embodiment is that the inner ring wall121 e of the hollow cylinder body 121 is formed into a ladder shape,mentioned inner ring wall 121 e comprises a top wall portion 121 h andbottom wall portion 121 i, and the limiting slot 121 f is recessed fromthe top wall portion 121 h. The bearing 122 will not compress the topwall portion 121 h while passing through the top wall portion 121 h toprevent the hollow cylinder body 121 from deformation.

While this invention has been particularly illustrated and described indetail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will beclearly understood by those skilled in the art that it is not limited tothe specific features and describes and various modifications andchanges in form and details may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan structure comprising: a base having acoupling hole; a bearing module disposed at the coupling holecomprising: a hollow cylinder body at least composed of a ring wall andan accommodating hole surrounded by the ring wall, wherein the ring wallhaving an outer ring wall, an inner ring wall and a limiting slotrecessed from the inner ring wall; a bearing disposed at theaccommodating hole and comprised a top surface, a bottom surface and anaxial hole; a blocking member disposed at the limiting slot and locatedon top of the bearing, an accommodating space formed between theblocking member and the bearing, the blocking member having a bodyportion and a blocking portion extendedly formed at the body portion,wherein the body portion embedded into the limiting slot, the blockingportion protruded to the inner ring wall of the ring wall and located atthe accommodating hole; and a limiting member disposed at theaccommodating space and comprised a body, a plurality of limiting platesextendedly formed at inside of the body, a plurality of penetratingslots and a penetrating hole in communication with the penetratingslots, each of the penetrating slots located between adjacent limitingplates, the limiting member includes a front end portion, the blockingportion of the blocking member is provided for contacting against thelimiting member; and a rotor includes a rotating shaft having a ringslot, the rotating shaft penetrated through the penetration hole of thelimiting member and the axial hole of the bearing, and the front endportion of each of the limiting plates inserted into the ring slot. 2.The fan structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the blockingportion includes a first leaning portion provided for contacting againstthe limiting plate of the limiting member.
 3. The fan structure inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the blocking portion further includes asecond leaning portion provided for contacting against the body of thelimiting member, a blocking area is composed of the first leaningportion and the second leaning portion.
 4. The fan structure inaccordance with claim 3, wherein the blocking portion further includes athird leaning portion provided for contacting against the limiting plateand the body of the limiting member, a blocking area is composed of thefirst leaning portion, the second leaning portion and the third leaningportion.
 5. The fan structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein theblocking portion further includes a third leaning portion provided forcontacting against the limiting plate of the limiting member, a blockingarea is composed of the first leaning portion and the third leaningportion.
 6. The fan structure in accordance with claim 1 furtherincludes a gasket disposed between the limiting member and the bearing,and the gasket is provided for the limiting member to dispose thereon.7. The fan structure in accordance with claim 6, wherein the limitingmember is clipped by the blocking member and the gasket.
 8. The fanstructure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the limiting slotcomprises an inner wall, the blocking member comprises an outer wallcontacted against the inner wall.
 9. The fan structure in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the accommodating hole comprises a hole diameter,the limiting member comprises an outer diameter smaller than the holediameter.
 10. The fan structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein theblocking member comprises a maximum width, the limiting member comprisesan outer diameter smaller than the maximum width.
 11. A bearing moduleof a fan structure comprising: a hollow cylinder body at least composedof a ring wall and an accommodating hole surrounded by the ring wall,wherein the ring wall having an outer ring wall, an inner ring wall anda limiting slot recessed from the inner ring wall; a bearing disposed atthe accommodating hole and comprised a top surface, a bottom surface andan axial hole; a blocking member disposed at the limiting slot andlocated on top of the bearing, an accommodating space formed between theblocking member and the bearing, the blocking member having a bodyportion and a blocking portion extendedly formed at the body portion,wherein the body portion embedded into the limiting slot, the blockingportion protruded to the inner ring wall of the ring wall and located atthe accommodated hole; and a limiting member disposed at theaccommodating space and comprised a body, a plurality of limiting platesextendedly formed at inside of the body, a plurality of penetratingslots and a penetrating hole in communication with the penetratingslots, each of the penetrating slots located between adjacent limitingplates, the limiting plate includes a front end portion, and theblocking portion of the blocking member is provided for contactingagainst the limiting member.
 12. The bearing module of a fan structurein accordance with claim 11, wherein the blocking portion includes afirst leaning portion provided for contacting against the limiting plateof the limiting member.
 13. The bearing module of a fan structure inaccordance with claim 12, wherein the blocking portion further includesa second leaning portion provided for contacting against the body of thelimiting member, a blocking area is composed of the first leaningportion and the second leaning portion.
 14. The bearing module of a fanstructure in accordance with claim 13, wherein the blocking portionfurther includes a third leaning portion provided for contacting againstthe limiting plate and the body, a blocking area is composed of thefirst leaning portion, the second leaning portion and the third leaningportion.
 15. The bearing module of a fan structure in accordance withclaim 12, the blocking portion further includes a third leaning portionprovided for contacting against the limiting plate of the limitingmember, a blocking area is composed of the first leaning portion and thethird leaning portion.
 16. The bearing module of a fan structure inaccordance with claim 11 further includes a gasket disposed between thelimiting member and the bearing, and the gasket is provided for thelimiting member to dispose thereon.
 17. The bearing module of a fanstructure in accordance with claim 16, wherein the limiting member isclipped by the blocking member and the gasket.
 18. The bearing module ofa fan structure in accordance with claim 11, wherein the limiting slotcomprises an inner wall, the blocking member comprises an outer wallcontacted against the inner wall.
 19. The bearing module of a fanstructure in accordance with claim 11, wherein the accommodating holecomprises a hole diameter, the limiting member comprises an outerdiameter smaller than the hole diameter.
 20. The bearing module of a fanstructure in accordance with claim 11, wherein the blocking membercomprises a maximum width, the limiting member comprises an outerdiameter smaller than the maximum width.